Bringing back the Black Codes.

I have written about a sort of new post Reconstruction fever sweeping over the United States since the election of Barack Obama in the past. It is now republicans and not democrats, and it is 2014 and not 1877; but the similarities are clear.




I still tend to think of Southern elected republican politicians as Scalawags. The grand deal to elect Rutherford B. Hayes as president meant that Southern whites could go back to treating blacks the way that they did prior to the ending of the Civil War.




Here we are in 2014, but make no mistake; there are quite a few elected officials who would love nothing more than to bring back the Black Codes.




They do a great job of covering it up, but every now and then one of them slips and we are reminded of what we are dealing with.




"The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on Tuesday that Georgia state Senator Fran Millar (R) penned an angry response to DeKalb County’s announcement that early voting will be available on Sunday, October 26, and that an early-voting location will be opened at The Gallery at South DeKalb Mall. Millar represents part of the county and is Senior Deputy Whip for the Georgia Senate Republicans.

Millar wrote:

Now we are to have Sunday voting at South DeKalb Mall just prior to the election. Per Jim Galloway of the AJC, this location is dominated by African American shoppers and it is near several large African American mega churches such as New Birth Missionary Baptist. Galloway also points out the Democratic Party thinks this is a wonderful idea – what a surprise. I’m sure Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter are delighted with this blatantly partisan move in DeKalb.Is it possible church buses will be used to transport people directly to the mall since the poll will open when the mall opens? If this happens, so much for the accepted principle of separation of church and state. 

Many predominantly Black churches around the country organize “Souls to the Polls” events that encourage churchgoers to vote after attending Sunday church services. This often relies on carpooling and is perfectly legal, according to the Freedom From Religion Foundation (which advocates for a strict separation of church and state). While Republicans in places like North Carolina and Ohio have pushed to eliminate Sunday voting hours, it is unusual for a legislator to so candidly admit that this strategy is about reducing African American turnout. 

Millar notes that he is “investigating if there is any way to stop this action” and that he and State Representative Mike Jacobs (R) “we will try to eliminate this election law loophole in January,” as it might boost Democratic voter turnout.

 On his Facebook page Tuesday, Millar stood by his comments, writing: “I would prefer more educated voters than a greater increase in the number of voters. If you don’t believe this is an efort [SIC] to maximize Democratic votes pure and simple, then you are not a realist. This is a partisan stunt and I hope it can be stopped.” [Source]



Mr. Millar, I don't mean to be picky, but I am guessing that "more educated" voters would know how to spell e-f-f-o-r-t.


But hey, that's just me.




Anyway, I hope that we don't have to bring back the Underground Railroad for you Negroes down in Georgia. 




Finally, the NFL is saying that they tried to get that Ray Rice video of him punching out his wife in an Atlantic City elevator, but they were not "granted that opportunity".




“We had not seen any video tape of what occurred in the elevator. We assumed that there was a video, we asked for the video, we asked for anything that was pertinent, but we were never granted that opportunity.”




Yeah right.




If you think, for a minute, that one of the most powerful organizations in America could not have gotten an elevator surveillance video from the casino that involved one of their players, I have a wonderful antique bell with a slight crack on the side from my hometown that I would just love to sell you.




Sorry Roger, I am siding with Harvey Levin on this one.